Mattress-rack.



R. B. McOURDY.

MATTRESS RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1912.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

RALPH B. MGGURDY, OF OSKALOOSA, IOWA.

MATTRESS-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 26,1913.

Application filed January 29, 1912. Serial No. 674,182.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, RALPH B. MoGURDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oskaloosa, in the county of Mahaska and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Mattress-Rack, of which the followin is a specification.

y invention relates to racks for holding and displaying mattresses. In such a device, it is desirable that the parts should be very strong and so arranged that the mattresses will take up very little more room than if they were piled one upon another and also so that each mattress may be displayed separately. 7

It is the object of my invention to provide a mattress rack of very strong construction, which is simple and inexpensive to make and adapted to hold mattresses upon shelves or the like, one above the other in a minimum of space, the parts of which are so arranged that each mattress may be readily and easily moved to position for advantageously displaying it.

A further object is to provide a mattress rack in which the upper shelves or trays may be partially withdrawn from the rack and tilted for the purpose of showing the mattresses thereon.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mattress rack provided with fiat sliding shelves which are so constructed and mounted that they may be pulled out from the rack to position for advantageously displaying goods, and at the same time be maintained in their horizontal position.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, arrangement and combination of the parts, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a mattress rack embodying my invention. Fig. 2 shows a detail view of a part of my rack. Fig. 3 shows a detail of another part. Fig. 4 shows a horizontal central, sectional viewthrough a corner of one of the trays showing the construction of the frame. Fig. 5 shows a detail sectional view of a modified form of the end members of my trays, which form the tracks for the wheels.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate the upright members at the corners of my rack. Between the upright members 10, about the middle of each end of the rack, I preferably secure an upright member 11. The members l0 and 11 at each end of the rack, are connected by horizontal braces 12 and are preferably also connected and reinforced by diagonal braces 13. I employ horizontal braces 14, and diagonal braces 15, connecting the uprights 10 at the back of my device to reinforce it.

Mounted in my frame in the manner hereinafter described, are a series of trays, the construction of which will now be explained. Each tray is composed of a rectangular frame, and is of suilicient length to fit between the ends of the frame of my rack, and to slide freely in said rack, in the manner to be described. The front and back of the frame of each of my trays, is composed of angle bars 16, having one vertical, and one horizontal flange, the latter extending inwardly at the top of the frame as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The ends of' the frame may be made in two ways as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. As shown in Fig. 5, the end members areformed of flat horizontal bars 16, having at their ends, vertical extensions 17, at the upper ends of'which are hori- Zontal portions 18 extending'toward the frame. At the inner ends of the portions 18 are downward extensions l9 which are received in the grooves of the wheels hereinafter described. Each end of the frame of each tray, may be composed as shown in Fig. 3, of a tube 17, rectangular in cross section, having a longitudinal slot 18, formed 7 in its outer surface.v At each end of the tube 17, all of the end excepting the inner side, is cut away and the flat bar 19 then remaining, is bent at right angles to the body of the tube 17 to fit against the end of the inner surface of the upright flange of the angle bar 16, as shown in Fig. 1, and is firmly secured thereto. The ends of the angle bars 16 extend past the openings in the ends of the tubes 17, as shown in Fig. 1. This extension of the ends of the angle bars 16, is for the double purpose of improving the appearance of the frame and of holding the wheels hereinafter described, in their proper position.

The construction of the corner of the tray is shown in the lower right hand corner of Fig. 1, where portions of the angle bar 16 and the tube 17 are cut away for the purpose of more clearly illustrating such construction. The frame of each tray is preferably made of iron, in order to support the weight of mattresses without being sprung out of shape, but may be constructed of wood or other suitable material. At suitable points in each tray frame, I provide reinforcing cross pieces 20, extending between the inner surfaces of the tubes 17. The cross braces 20, are preferably secured to the tubes 17, by means of small brackets 21 cut from angle bars, and firmly secured to the braces 20, in the tubes 17. The frames of my trays may be, if desired, covered with a fiat bottom of wood or other suitable material. As many of the cross braces 20, may be employed as desired.

For slidably mounting my trays in the frame of my improved mattress rack, I provide the following means. The means for mounting each tray are similar and will be described as for one tray only. On the inner side of the posts 10, at the front of the frame of the rack, I rotatably mount grooved wheels 22. The wheels 22 are arranged at suitable heights on the respective posts at the front of the frame for mounting the trays in suitable position. The edges of the tubes 17 adjacent to the slots 18, on each end of the frame of each tray, are received in the grooves in the wheels 22 in the manner shown in Fig. 3. For mounting the lower trays, I rotatably mount wheels 22 on the inner surface of the lower ends of the posts 11, and mount the tubes 17 or the extensions 19 thereon, as shown in Figs. 3 or 5.

It is desirable that the forward ends of the upper trays in the frame be permitted to tilt downwardly in order to better display the mattresses thereon. For permitting such tilting, I have provided the following means: Mounted at proper heights on the inner surfaces of the post 10, at the rear of the frame, are plates 24 having annular laterally extending ribs 25, which ribs extend. somewhat less than three quarters of the distance around the circumference of the plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Pivote'd by means of the bolts 28, to the center of the plates 24, are arms 27. The ends of the rib 25 limit the movement of the arm 27, permitting it to move from horizontal to vertical position, in a plane parallel with the plates 24, over the flat surfaces 26 of the plates 24, between the ends of the ribs 25. On the free ends of the arms 27, are rotatably mounted grooved wheels 29 similar in construction to the wheels 22, which are mounted in the slots 18 with the edges of the tubes 17 received in the grooves in said wheels 29, as shown in Fig. 1. The parts just described, are arranged so that when the trays are in their ordinary position, in

the frame, the arms 27 are horizontal, as shown in Fig. l and extend from the posts 11 toward the back of the frame. The purpose of extending the ends of the angle bars 16 past the opening in the ends of the tubes 17, is now made clear. The ends of said angle bars 16 hold the wheels 22 and 29 in position mounted on the tubes 17 and prevent said wheels from sliding out of said tubes at the end thereof.

In the practical use of my improved mattress rack, mattresses are placed on the trays, and when it is desired to display a mattress on one of the lower trays, that tray is drawn out, as shown in Fig. 1, the trays traveling on the wheels 22. When it is desired to display a mattress on one of the upper trays, which are equipped with the means heretofore described, for permitting the tilting of said trays, the tray is drawn forward from the frame of the rack, and by lowering the outer end of the tray the arm 27 moves from horizontal to vertical position, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The end of the angle bar 16 prevents the withdrawal of the Wheels 29 from slots 18. The tray is then in its tilted position, and the mattress may be advantageously displayed. By pushing the tray toward the rear of the rack, the arm 27 will be moved to horizontal position, and the tray will also be moved to its horizontal position.

Mattress racks are of much bulk, and of considerable weight. In a rack for mattresses, it is therefore necessary that the parts be of great strength to endure weight and strains. It is also desirable that they should have separate trays, or shelves for supporting the mattresses in a minimum of space. one above the other, which presses the lower mattresses out of shape. My improved rack meets all of the above mentioned requirements. The trays for supporting separate mattresses are close enough together to prevent any considerable loss of space, and they are constructed preferably of iron so as to secure a maximum of strength. My trays are slidably mounted in the frames of the rack, so that any mattress in the rack, may be easily and quickly withdrawn therefrom to position for advantageously displaying it. The construction of my trays and the manner in which they are mounted, are such as to permit the trays to slide readily without being twisted or sprung out of shape by the weight of the mattresses. The construction hereinbefore described by the means of mounting the upper trays, permits the building of the rack to considerable height, thus saving space and at the same time permitting the display of the mattresses onthe upper trays. The plate 24 and the arm 27 are made of iron or other strong material, and are of simple construction.

This avoids piling the mattresses I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, a frame having upright corner posts and middle posts, approximately between the corner posts at each end of the frame, a plurality of trays, each tray being comprised of side members, end members formed of tubes rectangular in cross section, and formed with longitudinal slots in their outer surfaces, grooved wheels rotatably mounted on the corner posts at the forward side of the frame, and received in said slots to permit said trays to slide on said wheels, means for slidably mounting said trays on said middle posts and means for permitting the rear sides of said trays to tilt upward for limiting such upward movement.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame having upright corner posts and middle posts approximately between the corner posts at each end of the frame, a plurality of trays therein, each tray having a rectangular frame, comprising side members, tubular end members rectangular in cross section and provided with longitudinal slots in their outer surfaces, the end members excepting the inner sides thereof, being cut away at their respective ends and said inner sides being bent at right angles to the body of said end members to form a bracket for the side members, and being secured thereto, plates mounted at suitable points on the inner surface of said middle posts laterally extending annular ribs formed on said plates, arms pivoted to the center of said plates to move in planes parallel therewith, said ribs being cut away to permit said arms to move from horizontal to vertical position, grooved wheels rotatably mounted on the free end of said arm, and mounted in said slots with the edges of said tubular end pieces adjacent to the slots therein re ceived in the grooves in said wheels, said parts being so arranged that when the arms 27 are moved from horizontal to vertical position, the trays are tilted.

Dec. 16, 1911.

RALPH B. MOCURDY.

Witnesses KATHRYN ROBERTS, WALTER STANLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0. 

